The American Legion of Liars

Donald Trump got what he wanted. Thanks to a media that covers politics with the same objective analysis as the sports section during a playoff run, everyone across the country heard the narrative that the most important thing that happened in Washington this week was that the Republicans “got a win.”

No, that mass of mental midgets did not get a “win.” What they did was display horrifying neglect of duty in rushing to pass a bill that would do irreparable harm to millions and millions of people across the country.

What the stampede of simpletons in the lower chamber did this week flies in the face of everything I have ever believed about what elected leaders are supposed to do. Beyond just the merits of the legislation, the callousness and recklessness with which they rushed through legislation would up-end 1/6 of our economy was outrageous, egregious and preposterous.

And the best – I shouldn’t say “best” because there is nothing good here – part is that the people who will be hurt worst by this abomination are the very people who elected this cohort of clowns. The bill allows states to seek waivers to no longer protect those with pre-existing conditions. You know who won’t seek those waivers? Democratic governors who don’t want to see their people suffer. You know who will? Republican governors like Scott Walker who already said he’d probably use it (Hey Paul Ryan, guess what state that is).

Call me a smug liberal if you want, but I’m smart enough not to vote for someone who campaigns on taking away a benefit that I rely on.

As the horde of hee-haws were pushing yay at their desks, staff were carting palates of Bud Light covered in black tarps through the Capitol. But they couldn’t even do that right as the genius they tasked with this mission left one corner uncovered for all the world to spy the signature blue and white box of “Up for Whatever.” Symbolism.

Though let’s be fair. The beer, I’m sure, was to celebrate granting insurance to millions for the first time. Or maybe it was that those born with ailments could finally get coverage. Or maybe it was their provision to ban life-time limits and out of pocket expenses for people that suffer catastrophic injuries. Or maybe it was confirming their belief that the character of this country is defined by the fact that no one should go bankrupt because of an illness or injury.

Oh shit, sorry, those are all the things in the Affordable Care Act they’re trying to end. Silly me.

As Dan Pfeiffer said on “Pod Save America” his week, if Republicans came out and made a case that they want to return the healthcare industry to the free market and that government has no place directing a private marketplace, then at least they would be making an intellectually honest argument about why they’re doing this.

Instead, this legion of liars are blanketing the talk shows spreading some of the most bald faced “alternative facts” I’ve ever witnessed in politics.

Kevin McCarthy talked of expanding coverage despite a CBO score on a similar bill that says 24 million fewer people would have coverage. Paul Ryan’s communications director said this bill had been scored twice, despite the fact that the previous two scores were for entirely different bills. This is like saying your car is doesn’t need the state inspection because you had the emissions tested 2 years ago.

And finally, Cathy McMorris-Rodgers wrote an op-ed about how her son’s pre-existing condition led her to vote for this bill. But given that this bill weakens protections for people like him, there must be something she knows that we don’t.